Beljum Budder
The first product I ever used as a chamois cream was Noxema. My teammates let me in on their little secret after I confessed that I was battling multiple saddle sores. The revelation improved my relationship with countless pair of substandard shorts, and made the good shorts heaven itself. It eventually fell from favor as shorts improved but as I aged and my skin became more sensitive it became a necessity once again.
When I ran across Beljum Budder in its red, black and yellow accented tube, I knew I needed to check it out. In the exploding market of chamois creams, a chamois cream that evokes Belgium and maintains a sense of humor definitely gets points for style.
I’ve been using Beljum Budder on rides longer than two hours for a few months now. The first major difference between Beljum Budder and some of the other chamois creams I’ve used lately is the fact that the mentholy-zing on this stuff is much less pronounced. It goes on easier and if I pull over to respond to nature it isn’t reactivated by a little fresh air, nor does it make the act unnecessarily difficult.
One of the oddest things I’ve noticed about some chamois creams is that they are actually too slick, at least for my taste; I don’t like the feeling that my nether regions are as slick as freshly lubed ball bearings. I’ve got no such issue with Beljum Budder. The cream seems to strike the right sort of balance between preventing chafing and making things slippery. Sorry if that headed into TMI, but the very nature of the discussion crosses at least one boundary, (cough).
While I like interesting scents for my embrocations, I prefer my chamois cream to be unadorned. Beljum Budder is, thankfully, almost perfectly scent-free.
I’ve been using an 8-ounce tube for three months and still have a long way to go before finishing it. It has caused me to wonder if I don’t use the stuff more judiciously because it’s not in a tub. While I certainly prefer embrocations in tubs, I think chamois cream may go further if it is sold in a tube. And for those who apply cream to their shorts rather than themselves, a tube is likely a good deal easier for application.
The 8-ounce tube carries a suggested retail price of $19 on the Beljum Budder web site. For $11, you can get 10 .3-ounce single-use packets, which are terrific for traveling.
I’ve yet to run across a chamois cream that I flat-out disliked or one that didn’t perform acceptably, so that may make recommending one cream over another difficult. Even so, that doesn’t mean I haven’t formed a strong preference; Beljum Budder is definitely my favorite so far.
